Wilkes-Barre, PA, (January 28, 2006) – The DeSales University men’s basketball team recorded another huge road win on Saturday afternoon defeating Wilkes University, 85-74, in a Freedom Conference game at the Marts Center.

 

        The win knocks Wilkes from the unbeaten ranks in Freedom Conference play and is the first-ever for the Bulldogs in the Marts Center as the two teams split the season series with each team winning on the others home floor.  DSU improves to 12-5 overall and 4-4 in the conference standings concluding a huge week in which DeSales earned two critical conference road wins.  The loss drops the Colonels to 11-5 overall and 7-1 in the conference standings.

 

        In typical Wilkes/DeSales fashion this game was a tightly contested affair throughout the entire game.  The Bulldogs jumped out early building a 15-4 lead thru the first five minutes on the strength of three treys, two by senior Drew Christman (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall).  A 17-6 run by the Colonels followed the quick DSU start and at the 11:41 mark we were tied at 21.  During the WU spurt sophomore Chris Shovlin totaled eight points and senior Evan Walters had four to lead the way.

 

        The two teams went back and forth over the next four minutes and DeSales held a slim one-point lead, 30-29, before a 12-3 run over the next three minutes saw DSU leading by 10, 42-32.  Consecutive three’s by sophomore Eddie Ohlson (Allentown, PA/Parkland) and freshman Ed Lapinski (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) started the run and Ohlson capped the streak with another three at the 3:29 mark.

 

        Senior Mike Constantine took over the rest of the way scoring 11 of Wilkes final 13 points including three treys from way beyond the arc to help pull the Colonels within three, 48-45, at the break.

 

        Shovlin (18 points) and Constantine (13 points) combined for 31 of the 45 Colonel first-half points, while Ohlson (11 points) and Christman (10 points) carried DSU into the locker room.  Both teams torched the nets in the opening half with Wilkes knocking down 58.6 percent and the Bulldogs canning 54.2 percent of its attempts.

 

        The second half started slowly with both teams struggling to put points on the board.  DeSales continued to lead by four at the 9:13 mark before a three-pointer from junior Sedale Walton (Levittown, PA/Harry S. Truman) pushed the lead to seven points with 8:39 to play.

 

        A 9-2 Colonel run over the next four minutes tied the game at 68 and all those in attendance were looking forward to another fantastic finish between these two clubs.  During the game-tying run Wilkes scored the first six points from the foul line and tied it on a long trey from Steve Kline that brought the Colonel contingent to its feet.

 

        Still tied at the 3:05 mark, DSU took control of the game and never looked back.  Out of a timeout Ohlson found fellow sophomore Phil Stricker (Womelsdorf, PA/Conrad Weiser) for a lay-up underneath and after a turnover and a missed shot on the Wilkes end Christman was fouled on the defensive rebound and deposited both free throws to make it 75-71 with 1:39 to go.

 

        A missed lay-up by Shovlin gave DSU the ball back and a missed lay-up by Ohlson was followed brilliantly by Christman who tipped it in for an easy two and the Bulldogs had themselves a six-point lead, 77-71.  A turnover by Constantine gave DSU the ball back and Walton calmly sank both free throws to push the DSU advantage to eight points, 79-71.

 

        Shovlin knocked down a three-pointer on the ensuing possession but Walton made two charity tosses and a turnover from Shovlin on the other end gave DSU the ball back and it connected on its final four free throws to post the final margin.

 

        Walton finished with a career-high 20 points as he sets a new career-high for the second time this week after he had scored a career best 13 in the win over Lycoming on Wednesday.  Christman totaled 17 points and Ohlson finished with 13 points and a team-high five assists.

 

        Sophomore Jamie McCloskey (Newark, DE/St. Mark’s) led the charge off the bench with 10 points and Lapinski totaled seven points, all in the first half.  Stricker and freshman Jeff Raimo (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) each added eight points for the Bulldogs.

 

        Shovlin finished with a game-high 30 points and Constantine joined him in double digits with 18 points.  Walters finished with eight points before fouling out and Kline led the charge off the bench with nine tallies.